In speech about breaking barriers, VP Kamala Harris says 'kick that f---ing door down'

In a speech that she delivered on Monday at the annual Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies Legislative Leadership summit, Vice President Kamala Harris used profanity, as Fox News reported.

"We have to know that sometimes people will open the door for you and leave it open.

"Sometimes they won’t, and then you need to kick that f‑‑‑ing door down," Harris said to a large audience, sparking cheers. "Excuse my language," she added.

This move caused headlines largely because it was touted as a disqualifying incident when former President Donald Trump used similar language. The media was outraged during the last administration, but seemingly unmoved by Harris's comments.

Response to the Comments

As the moderator on stage, Jimmy O. Yang, an actor and comedian, made a joke that went something like this:  "We gotta make T-shirts with that saying, ‘Kick that f---ing door down!""

During her spirited speech at the summit, Harris, who herself is of partial Indian heritage, argued that Asian-Americans should work toward breaking down barriers in order to accomplish their goal of achieving political representation.

"Here’s the thing about breaking barriers," Harris said earlier in the speech. "Breaking barriers does not mean you start on one side of the barrier, and you end up on the other side. There’s breaking involved, and when you break things, you get cut, and you may bleed, and it is worth it every time."

More of Harris' Comments

Harris continued, "To especially the young people here, I say to you, when you walk in those rooms, being the only one that looks like you, the only one with your background.

"You walk in those rooms, chin up, shoulders back, be it a meeting room, a boardroom, a courtroom, a hearing room, you walk in those rooms, knowing that we are all in that room with you, applauding you on and expecting certain things from you, including that you will not be silent in those rooms," she said.

"And that we expect that from you because we also expect that you will internalize and know we're there with you," she added. "And so your voice can be strong."

She continued by quoting her mother's advice about proving oneself rather than being constrained by the expectations of others and stated, "This is part of what's involved, is that we have to know that sometimes people will open the door for you and leave it open, and sometimes they won't."

She went on to say that this statement was a portion of what was involved. In that case, you are going to have to f---ing knock down the door.